Carabiners have long been in use for providing a means for attaching articles to each other. Such devices have numerous applications, such as for example enabling multiple articles to be secured to a backpack, purse, handbag, key chain or the like. U.S. Pat. No. 5,005,266 discloses a typical carabiner-type attachment device.
Portable personal communication devices such as cellular telephones, pagers and personal digital assistants (PDAs) are ubiquitous and are considered by many to be indispensable. However, even with advancements directed to reducing the size of these devices often it is inconvenient or undesirable to place these devices in a pocket because they can cause discomfort especially when the device is in a pants pocket and the owner is seated. These devices also tend to create an unsightly lump in any garment in which it is concealed. It is also often the case that a user prefers the device be easily accessible or in sight rather than stowed away in a pocketbook, briefcase or jacket pocket in order to be able to quickly ascertain the identity of a caller or respond to a call. Accordingly it is useful to be able to attach such devices to a garment, strap or bag. Such an adaptation is also desirable to avoid the misplacing of the device. It is commonplace for a cell phone, pager, PDA or the like to be left behind in a car, on the table of a restaurant, on a desk, on a kitchen counter or the like because the device was left out so it could be heard or viewed, only to be forgotten when it came time to leave.
Heretofore communication devices have been equipped with resilient clips for attachment purposes. These clips are not suitable for all applications, however. For instance, such clips are not well suited for securely attaching a communications device to a strap, belt loop or the like because of the tendency of the clip to disengage the article to which it is attached as the communication device is jostled. Most of the time these clips are attached to a case, which in turn contains the cell phone or other device. Where the clip is integral with the device, it is almost inevitable that the clip will break due to stress placed on the clip. In addition, known clips and attachment devices tend to add undesirable bulk to the communication device.
Moreover, when personal communication devices having an attachment device on the top end are attached to and depend from a belt loop the text screen is typically oriented right side up, resulting in an upside down screen when the device is flipped upward to view. This is impractical in many cases
U.S. Design Pat. No. 459,338 discloses an ornamental design for a carabiner radio in which the carabiner is integral with the top of the radio. However a radio is simply a device for receiving sound broadcasts and is not subject to the aforementioned considerations. That is, radios are not considered indispensable in our society, they are not items that must be “answered” or viewed periodically to determine callers, etc. Moreover, the attachment to the top of the device results in the aforementioned drawback of upside down text or controls when the device is flipped up to read when attached to a belt loop. In addition the ornamental design of the 459,338 patent does not teach or suggest a carabiner communication device in which a carabiner-type attachment device can be concealed in the body of the communication device until such time as it is needed.
Presently on the market are straps attached to carabiners wherein the strap is adapted to be mounted to a cell phone. These devices are designed to have the carabiner oriented near the top of the cell phone. Such a design is disadvantageous for the aforementioned reasons.
United States Published Patent Application 2002/0173279 discloses a mobile electronic communications device with a housing and an ornament attachment mechanism. The ornament attachment mechanism disclosed is not dimensioned for use as an attachment means for anything other than small ornaments such as earrings, bracelets, necklaces and the like. The disclosed device does not teach or suggest providing a carabiner for a communications device wherein the carabiner is oriented to provide a user an efficient way to attach the communication device to an article of clothing, purse or the like and still be easily readable.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,223,402 discloses a clip for a test telephone. The disclosure relates to an arrangement of a clip so that the clip can be easily engaged to an object to be hooked. This device relates to a test phone for telephone workers and does not address the concerns relating to a personal communication device mentioned hereinabove.
Therefore it would be a considerable advantage to be able to securely and selectively attach the communication device to an article such as a belt or belt loop in a manner that enables a user to easily read text on a message screen of the device. It would also be an advantage in that it would permit the secure, attractive and comfortable carriage of the device without the need to place the device in the pocket of a garment. It would also be advantageous for a personal communication device to be provided with a carabiner-type attachment device that could be concealed within the body of the device when not in use.